SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Besieged by angry East Side business owners, the Syracuse Common Council today voted 6-1 to reject proposed maintenance fees for the Connective Corridor that would have added an average of $3,100 a year to the tax bills of property owners along the route.

As a result, the new plants, park benches, signs and other amenities installed as part of the $15 million project will not be maintained by the city or its contractors, said Beth Rougeux, director of administration for the city.

The city had proposed to raise $149,100 a year through a special assessment on 48 property owners on the Connective Corridor, mostly along University Avenue and East Genesee Street. The money would have paid the nonprofit Downtown Committee to maintain the streetscape, much as it does in the downtown area.

When small business owners saw the bill -- the new fee would roughly double the non-school city taxes for many of them -- they cried foul. Representatives from about 10 businesses attended today's meeting and thanked councilors profusely after the vote.

Diane Paunovski, owner of Liberty Deli at the corner of Irving and East Genesee streets, was among those at today's meeting. She said she had contacted every councilor "to just stop the insanity.''

Garry Cohen, of New York City, owns a vacant commercial building at 404-406 University Ave. Cohen, who did not attend today's meeting, said the public area outside his building is maintained for free in return for allowing others to use his parking lot.

Cohen said he was being asked to pay too much in return for the little benefit he derives from the Connective Corridor. Because the proposed maintenance fee structure was based on road frontage, Cohen would have paid $5,782 a year for maintenance, more than the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Dentist Jeff Stannard, of 1001 E. Genesee St., wrote a letter to councilors this week threatening possible legal action if the city approved the new fee. After today's vote, Stannard said he and other local business owners would meet to discuss ways to make sure the area remains free of vandalism, graffiti, and wear and tear that would diminish the value of the streetscape improvements. Stannard said he thinks hiring private contractors would be cheaper than what the city proposed.

Rougeux said city officials also will look at other options to pay for maintenance. But Rougeux pointed out that rejection of the Downtown Committee proposal also cost the city $500,000 worth of equipment that Syracuse University was prepared to donate to the effort. As the largest property owner along the Connective Corridor, SU would have paid roughly 30 percent of the proposed maintenance fees.

The lone yes voter at today's session, Councilor Bob Dougherty, said he sympathized with the property owners but saw no other way to pay for maintenance. He urged city officials to continue looking for ways to lower the cost or to find alternatives to reduce the financial burden on affected businesses.

Today was the last day the council could approve the proposal and still add the charges to the July 1 tax bills. Council President Van Robinson called a special meeting for the vote, which seven councilors attended. Councilors Nader Maroun and Jake Barrett were absent.

Because the measure failed, the city would have to wait another year to try to pay for maintenance the same way.

Spearheaded by Syracuse University and paid for mostly with state and federal grants, the Connective Corridor is intended to create an attractive and commercially vibrant link between University Hill and downtown Syracuse.
Contact Tim Knauss at tknauss@syracuse.com or 315-470-3023.